A gin to help ease the lockdown Blues
Another dismal Lockdown Saturday and as Gin Lover One is busy trying to complete her E-learning modules in order to return to nursing as one of the country’s volunteer vaccinators, I decided the best thing I could do was hit the gin!
Despite seeming a dissolute and even irresponsible course of action when ministers and medical professionals are urging us to ease the burden on the NHS, I should point out that the bottle I plucked from the fridge is no bath-tub rot-gut – as the blue tinge to the spirit attests – and it has in fact been crafted specially to ‘Help our Heroes’.
For those who haven’t already bought a bottle of this limited edition charity gin, produced by Nelson’s Gin Distillery near Uttoxeter, you need to know that £10 from every sale is being donated to the NHS Charities Together fund. And the money from its Covid-19 Appeal is benefitting 140 member charities, including those supporting NHS staff and volunteers.
The laudable 41% liquor is based on Nelson’s original blend of no less than 27 botanicals – just four less than for Islay’s The Botanist – encompassing far flung flavourings like kaffir lime leaves from Thailand and Madagascan vanilla; as well as some more commonly used spices such as cinnamon.
It is, however Blue Pea Flowers which have been used to infuse the award-winning spirit with its tribute colour: a mild tint which tantalisingly turns into a faint pink when you add the recommended plain tonic and ice. Then in an echo of our early mariners’ efforts to protect themselves from disease, we’ve also been adding a slice of lime to our serve.
And as if any further justification were needed for pouring out a large measure of this fundraising gin, I can confirm the taste is really enjoyable and refreshing too: with a finish that reflects the balance achieved with such a wide array of botanicals.
Finally, those familiar with the statue of arguably the Royal Navy’s most famous officer ever, will realise instantly what item of uniform is missing from the image on the charity label. But the clue then is writ large in a fitting tribute to all those who have battled so hard during the pandemic.
This gin can be purchased directly from Nelson’s distillery for £39.95
